Putin: Syria does need changes, but they must not be bloody

"In our view, the most important thing today is to stop violence and make all parties to the conflict - both the government party and the so-called insurgents, or the armed opposition - sit at the negotiating table, determine the future guaranteeing of security to all participants in the internal political process, and only then switch to some practical steps regarding the country's internal organization," Putin said in an interview on Russia Today television.

"We perfectly understand that changes are needed there, but this does not mean that the changes should be bloody," he said.

"I think the first thing that needs to be done there is to stop supplying weapons to the conflict zone, which is continuing. Let me repeat once again: don't make decisions which are being imposed on one of the parties and which are unacceptable for the developments. This is what should be done," Putin said.